We both continued to watch it for another few minutes of silence.
He was still staring at the hill when he said, “I’ll release you from your work agreement if you leave Xest. I’m not sure I’ll be able to hide you, not even in Rest, but I’ll try if you go.”
Shoved out again. The guy was trying to make a career of getting rid of me. What he wanted didn’t matter. It didn’t. He was a stupid man, and an ass to boot. What did it matter what he thought?
But I couldn’t keep it all buried anymore. I turned and swung at him. I missed and swung again as he kept dodging my strikes. I struck out another handful of times.
Worst part was that when I finally stopped, he was eyeing me as if I were crazy.
“Are you done?” he asked.
Just for that, I swung again. Damn he was quick.
“Stop trying to get rid of me. I’m not going anywhere,” I screamed.
“I’m not trying to get rid of you,” he replied, the veins popping in his neck.
“Except you are at every turn.” I swung again, and this time he caught me in his arms.
The only good thing about him holding me was my arms were still free and I was able to hit his back, although not very effectively.
“You know, I’m beginning to understand why you lose so many fights,” he said, then held me firmer as I renewed my attack on him.
Or tried. It was a pitiful effort. Good thing Bautere wasn’t watching, because this was not my best showing.
I stopped hitting Hawk and pulled away. He didn’t try to stop me.
He watched me for a few moments as we both went to our proverbial separate corners. He tilted his head back and let out a sigh.
He was acting like he was having a bad day? I didn’t say anything. If I talked, I’d argue. Then I’d start swinging again.
“You think you know the way things should be, but you don’t even know the way they are,” he said.
“Please spare me the condescension. Stop trying to turn this into you trying to be the good guy when clearly you just want me gone. I didn’t arrive in Xest yesterday. I’ve been around the block a few times now, and you know damn well I can handle myself…most of the time.”
“I don’t think you realize the risks.”
“Yes, I believe I do. I’m not saying that there might not be some surprises here and there, but show me a life lived fully that doesn’t have a few. And stop trying to turn this around into something it isn’t. This isn’t about me. It’s about you. Why don’t you tell me why you’re so obsessed with getting rid of me?”
He shook his head, nearly as angry as I was. He took a few steps away from me before rounding back, as if he were ready to hash this thing out. Good. I’d been ready for months.
“If you put our recent disagreements aside, just going by when you’ve been in a tight spot, would you say I’ve been one of your strongest allies here?”
“Recent disagreements and hazy future to the side?” I waited a few seconds, letting those parameters sink in. “I say we’ve both helped each other out a fair amount.”
“Have I ever put you in danger or not tried to keep you alive?” he asked, ready to fight the point.
“Yes. You seem to want me breathing. Very gracious of you.”
He reached into his pocket and drew out the box that held the stone. He opened the box and picked it up off its bed, then looked at me, holding up between us. I’d lain it in its bed more than once wondering what color the stone would flash if Hawk ever touched it. It didn’t flash anything. It turned matte black.
“By your own admission, I’m your ally. The way I see it, I’m the best one you have, and yet you don’t even know what kind of threat I am.”
“Do you think that’s going to scare me? Is that the purpose of this demonstration?” I stepped closer and wrapped both my hands around his. “This proves nothing. Do I know what you are? No. I make no claim to that. Most days I don’t know what I am, and I’d bet it turns out to be a hell of a lot worse.”
I grabbed the blackened stone from him, and it immediately came to life. If he thought his little trick was going to scare me, he didn’t know the thoughts that kept me up at night.
He was looking at me, as if something had finally stunned him in his long life of knowing it all.
“Guess it’s your day to be surprised?” I asked, laughing. He really thought he’d scare me. After what I’d seen, it would take a lot more than a black stone.
“I won’t ask you to leave again.” He was straight-faced, but sounded relieved, or maybe even happy? It was more likely my own delusions.
“Good, because I’m tired of that question. You were getting a tad boring about it all.” Gem in hand, I took a step toward the hill before I lit up the entire countryside with my rainbow. “I’ll let go of the gem once I hit the spot.”
I took another step toward the hill, thinking about how I’d tried to beat up the only backup I had. I stopped walking and turned back to him.
“You’re ready to pull me off, right?” I waited for his agreement. This wasn’t the hill I wanted to die on.
“Have I left you for dead yet?” His eyebrows rose, as if my question weren’t worth answering.
“Say it anyway.”
He crossed his arms, shaking his head, but then he finally said, “I’m going to get you.”
I gave a short nod and went back to my mission, walking closer.
Whatever was brewing here, it seeped out toward me, greeting me, almost. Luring me with a warmth, a strange connection, like I was coming home, but to a home I’d never had. I moved closer, and not because I had to, not because this was my mission or duty, but because I wanted to. I was craving the contact.
I got to the place, and before I was taken over by whatever this was, I dropped the stone on the ground, so that maybe this thing’s true colors would show through. Then I dropped to my knees, sinking my hands down into the snow until I could feel its warmth wrapping around me.
When I was yanked away this time, there was no relief pouring through me.
Hawk, who had just dumped me to the ground last time, kept a hand wrapped around my arm, as if he’d sensed this place’s draw on me.
I slowly sat up, trying to figure it out myself, and there was no explanation other than feeling like I’d fallen under the influence of something much stronger than myself.
“I don’t know what’s going on with that hill, but I’m not sure I should go near it again,” I said.
He paused, not saying anything before he nodded. I didn’t know how I’d appeared when I’d knelt in front of it, but he must have sensed something.
“What about the stone? What color did it flash?” I asked. I’d been so enthralled that I hadn’t looked. Glancing over where I’d left it, I didn’t even see a glimmer.
“There wasn’t anything. Once you dropped it, it went clear.”
Hawk’s gaze shot up and over my shoulder. He straightened, and I jumped up to find Xazier standing not far from us. Why was he here? Had he followed us?
Xazier looked about the area. “Did someone call me?” he asked.
I got to my feet. “No one called.”
“Oh,” he said, smiling slightly. “My mistake. I’ll just be…”